KTM reviews German Superbike final

KTM rider Stefan Nebel has secured second place in the International German Championship for Superbikes (IDM) in the final round. Despite a difficult weekend with crashes by all official RC8R riders, KTM looks back on a successful first season.

Stefan Nebel, who went to the IDM finale in Hockenheim with a 25-point advantage kept the big crowd of fans on their toes right up to the end of the season when he secured the vice championship title for the KTM Superbike team, which was formed less than 12 months ago. But even though he crashed in the second race, his cushion of points from a hard fought seventh place in the first race in front of 28,000 spectators secured second place for the KTM team headed by Konrad Hefele.

The end of season was less positive or Kai-Borre Andersen, who rode in Hockenheim as a replacement for the injured Didier van Keymeulen. Following a strong result in training and a fourth place on the starting grid Anderson went down hard in the Sunday morning warm-up and the concussion he sustained hindered a positive finale for him. Jeremy McWilliams, who with eleventh just missed a front row start by less than 4/10 of a second, then crashed in the first race. He broke a rib and badly cut his hand and had to sit out the second race.

The IDM season with eight rounds and 16 races in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, was nevertheless very positive for the first official KTM Superbike project. Stefan Nebel was in the points standings 15 times, on the podium four times and garnered a total of 184 points for his vice champion title. Didier „DVK" van Keymeulen surprised with pole position and the first podium place at the start of the season and right up to his untimely early season’s end proved both his talent and the competitiveness of the RC8R. Kai-Borre Andersen and Jeremy McWilliams on the Akrapovic KTM were another two KTM riders to pick up points in the top class, international IDM series. The KTM Superbike Team Germany is therefore also the best newcomer to the IDM.Stefan Nebel Speaks… (7./crash)

What a weekend! I’m totally happy that we managed to work together to successfully fight for the second place. Everyone made a fantastic effort so that this could happen. It was a season with many highs and some tough lows like in the second race today but all in all I think we showed that in the IDM KTM is a force to be reckoned with. A big thank you to all those who made this possible.

Kai-Borre Andersen Speaks… (DNF/DNS)

I’m happy for the team that we can celebrate a deservedly successful first season after Hockenheim. Personally speaking I would have preferred a different end. I felt super in training and right up to my crash in the warm up. At first I thought I would still be able to race but I was having trouble seeing in the first lap and because of that I had to give up. I really enjoyed being able to be with the KTM team for the last two rounds of the competition.

Jeremy McWilliams Speaks… (crash/DNS)

On the surface this looks like a race weekend I should forget. In reality we got close to a really good setup. The gap to the front runners here in Hockenheim was only minimal and I think it would have been possible to make more progress. I would have liked it if the season was longer! KTM is on the right track and despite the mixed results it was fantastic to take part in that.

Konrad Hefele Speaks… Team Boss KTM Superbike Team Germany

I’m really happy for Stefan and our team. They really slogged away right through last winter and the entire IDM season. A year ago we wouldn’t have been able to even dream about taking second place in the championship. It’s a shame that after he had such a spectacular start that the season for Didier turned out badly but we still have to be absolutely satisfied with the entire project. From a sporting perspective we could establish ourselves among the front runners and our team worked efficiently and was fully motivated – a big thanks and congratulations to everyone on the team.

Wolfgang Felber Speaks… RC8 Project Leader

Together we have managed to spontaneously achieve a very respectable success in this top class Superbike series. I also want to thank the entire team for their strong engagement – that also goes for Kai-Borre and Jeremy, who also brought us even further forward. I’m looking forward to 2010 because we want to show that there’s even more potential in the RC8.